My sister and I are running our small media company Sekka, and ever since we launched it we have barely done any advertising for our brand. We chose to invest in relationships instead.
Personally I have been working on both sides of the equation. My previous job involved me working on advertising strategies and dealing with many agencies, and now my sister and I are in a situation where we need to drive sales.
When entrepreneurs are building their businesses, they often start thinking about their marketing strategy, and this is something I’ve seen over and over again. They discuss where and how and when will they advertise their products, and basically how soon can they get going.
Before their business has even launched or they have worked out all their inner work details, they are already talking to PR and marketing companies. They would have drafted their press releases, set up their social media pages, and started advertising on Facebook before their products have gone into production.
Then when an inquiry comes in from an interested customer, they take their sweet time to answer. They may come back a while later, or sometimes they do not at all.
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Unfortunately, this is the truth. Many start-ups spend way too much money on marketing without even having a proper sales team or strategy in hand. A customer might complain about a faulty product or post a negative comment on Instagram and then you will find everyone running around, not knowing how to deal with the situation.
In short, they don’t have a sales team. Now the thing with sales is that many people assume that it involves cold calls, and knocking on doors, and that is why they may think that they do not need it, or that their product is completely digital and they do not need a sales policy or whatever excuse they may give.
But sales is more than that. It’s a process that encompasses marketing and building lasting relationships. It involves identifying a potential customer and thinking of the best way to convert that potential client into a paying customer, and then a loyal customer. This is what business is all about. This is how a business grows and sustains.
Instead of spending all that money on marketing, startups should develop a sales strategy. For instance, what happens when an interested customer walks into the door? Whose responsibility is it to deal with him/her? What if that customer files a complaint? Who is assigned to reply to that, and what process is followed to ensure that the issue is resolved and not escalated?
When we founded our media company, our mentors advised us to manage the sales initially. Who is in a better position to share our vision but us? My sister and I had to perfect the process, by documenting it and checking it, before passing it on. We needed to polish the process as much as we could, and then as our business grew, we would assign the responsibility of managing sales to team members.
If you are thinking about marketing only, while overlooking sales, then you will be wasting your money. With a good sales team, your potential leads turn to customers.
At an initial stage, the sales team could also be dealing with customer services, and that is normal and something we gave done, such as dealing with a customer’s concern about a product before making a purchase.
Think of it this way: Imagine going into a department store, where you see flyers, and marked prices of products, but there is no one there to answer your question, or assist you in bringing you the right size, not to mention giving you the digital device you asked for. Chances are, you may leave the store. That is how important a sales policy is, especially at an early stage. You need that someone who will connect with people, build a rapport, lead them to the finish line, and then ensure from then on through planned tactics that they will be coming back for more.
A great sales team doesn’t focus on hard-selling a product, but on building a relationship. When that trust and relationship are present, selling a product will be a piece of cake.
I would strongly urge you to invest in a sales policy from an early stage, to draft a plan of how you can foster relationships with your customers and turn that relationship into a long-term one.
Once that’s arranged for, you can then focus on marketing, and when the marketing efforts come through you will have the sales team ready to take on whatever comes their way.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer who manages her branding and marketing consultancy in Abu Dhabi
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
ICC T20 Team of 2021
Jos Buttler, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mustafizur Rahman, Shaheen Afridi
The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT
Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque: 569Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
Emiratisation at work
Emiratisation was introduced in the UAE more than 10 years ago
It aims to boost the number of citizens in the workforce particularly in the private sector.
Growing the number of Emiratis in the workplace will help the UAE reduce dependence on overseas workers
The Cabinet in December last year, approved a national fund for Emirati jobseekers and guaranteed citizens working in the private sector a comparable pension
President Sheikh Khalifa has described Emiratisation as “a true measure for success”.
During the UAE’s 48th National Day, Sheikh Khalifa named education, entrepreneurship, Emiratisation and space travel among cornerstones of national development
More than 80 per cent of Emiratis work in the federal or local government as per 2017 statistics
The Emiratisation programme includes the creation of 20,000 new jobs for UAE citizens
UAE citizens will be given priority in managerial positions in the government sphere
The purpose is to raise the contribution of UAE nationals in the job market and create a diverse workforce of citizens
MATCH INFO
Southampton 0
Manchester City 1 (Sterling 16')
Man of the match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
RESULTS
2.15pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner Shawall, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Majed Al Jahouri (trainer)
2.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Anna Bella Aa, Fabrice Veron, Abdelkhir Adam
3.15pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
3.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner Taajer, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
4.15pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri
4.45pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner Maqaadeer, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
Grand Slam Los Angeles results
Men:
56kg – Jorge Nakamura
62kg – Joao Gabriel de Sousa
69kg – Gianni Grippo
77kg – Caio Soares
85kg – Manuel Ribamar
94kg – Gustavo Batista
110kg – Erberth Santos
Women:
49kg – Mayssa Bastos
55kg – Nathalie Ribeiro
62kg – Gabrielle McComb
70kg – Thamara Silva
90kg – Gabrieli Pessanha
More from Aya Iskandarani
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.4-inch IPS LCD, 400 nits, toughened glass
CPU: Unisoc T610; Mali G52 GPU
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 64GB, up to 512GB microSD
Camera: 8MP rear, 5MP front
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 3.5mm audio
Battery: 8200mAh, up to 10 hours video
Platform: Android 11
Audio: Stereo speakers, 2 mics
Durability: IP52
Biometrics: Face unlock
Price: Dh849
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company Profile
Company name: NutriCal
Started: 2019
Founder: Soniya Ashar
Based: Dubai
Industry: Food Technology
Initial investment: Self-funded undisclosed amount
Future plan: Looking to raise fresh capital and expand in Saudi Arabia
Total Clients: Over 50
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ANDROID%20VERSION%20NAMES%2C%20IN%20ORDER
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